Otis Singleton
Electromagnetic waves are created by charged particles in motion, such as electrons and protons. These waves have crests and troughs, and the distance between two adjacent crests or troughs is called the wavelength. Electromagnetic radiation can be described in terms of energy, wavelength, or frequency, with the wavelength measured in meters. The electromagnetic spectrum is the full range of electromagnetic radiation, organised by frequency or wavelength, and it includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | The distance between repetitions in the electromagnetic waves |
| Formula | Velocity of a wave/Frequency |
| Unit | Meters |
| Range | From very long radio waves to very short gamma rays |
| Energy | The energy increases as the wavelength shortens |
| Frequency | The higher the frequency of the signal, the shorter the wavelength |
| Applications | Communication, medicine, industry, and scientific research |
| Detection | Optical spectrometers or optical spectrum analyzers |
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What You'll Learn
How electromagnetic wavelengths are measured
The electromagnetic spectrum is the full range of electromagnetic radiation, organised by frequency or wavelength. Electromagnetic waves always travel at the same speed: 299,792 kilometres per second. The speed of light in a medium is less than in a vacuum, which means that the same frequency will correspond to a shorter wavelength in the medium than in a vacuum.
The wavelength of electromagnetic radiation can be measured in various units, including meters, nanometers (nm), and angstroms (Å). The wavelength depends on the medium through which the wave travels, such as a vacuum, air, or water. Wavelength is inversely related to frequency, which refers to the number of wave cycles per second. The higher the frequency, the shorter the wavelength.
Spectroscopy is a technique used to separate waves of different frequencies, allowing the intensity of radiation to be measured as a function of frequency or wavelength. It is used to study the interactions of electromagnetic waves with matter.
Instruments such as optical spectrometers or optical spectrum analysers can detect wavelengths in the electromagnetic spectrum. For example, in the 1990s, wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) was developed to increase the data-carrying capacity of fibre optic cables. This technique splits a beam of light into different wavelengths that can travel independently through the fibre.
In 1801, Thomas Young measured the wavelength of a light beam using his two-slit experiment, demonstrating that light exhibited wave-like behaviour. In 1914, Rutherford and Andrade measured the wavelengths of gamma rays, finding that they were similar to X-rays but with shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies.
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The electromagnetic spectrum
The spectrum is divided into separate bands, with different names for the electromagnetic waves within each band. From low to high frequency, these are: radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays. Each of these bands has distinct characteristics, such as how they are produced, how they interact with matter, and their practical applications.
Radio waves, at the low-frequency end of the spectrum, have the lowest photon energy and the longest wavelengths—often thousands of kilometres or more. They can be emitted and received by antennas and can pass through the atmosphere, foliage, and most building materials. Radio waves are also emitted by stars and gases in space.
Gamma rays, at the high-frequency end of the spectrum, have the highest photon energies and the shortest wavelengths—much smaller than an atomic nucleus. Gamma rays, X-rays, and extreme ultraviolet rays are called ionising radiation because their high photon energy can ionise atoms, causing chemical reactions.
The human eye can only detect a small portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, namely visible light. However, we rely on electromagnetic energy in numerous aspects of our daily lives. Tuning your radio, watching TV, sending a text message, or cooking popcorn in a microwave oven all utilise electromagnetic energy.
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How wavelength relates to frequency
The wavelength of electromagnetic waves is the distance between two nearest points in phase with each other. It is measured in meters. The frequency of electromagnetic waves, on the other hand, is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit of time and is measured in hertz (Hz). The frequency is directly proportional to the pitch.
Wavelength and frequency are inversely proportional to each other. The speed of light is directly proportional to frequency and wavelength. This means that as the wavelength of a wave becomes shorter, its frequency becomes higher. The relationship between wavelength and frequency can be stated as wavelength equals the speed of light divided by the frequency.
The electromagnetic (EM) spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, ultraviolet light, X-rays, and gamma rays. Radio waves have photons with low energies, while microwaves have slightly more energy. Infrared photons have more energy than microwaves, followed by visible light, ultraviolet light, X-rays, and gamma rays, which have the highest energy.
Scientists typically describe radio and microwaves in terms of frequency, infrared and visible light in terms of wavelength, and X-rays and gamma rays in terms of energy. This convention allows for the use of convenient units that are neither too large nor too small. For example, radio waves are often described in frequencies of gigahertz (GHz) or kilohertz (kHz), while infrared astronomers use microns (millionths of a meter) for wavelengths.
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How wavelength influences electromagnetic radiation's interaction with matter
The interaction of electromagnetic radiation with matter depends on its wavelength and frequency, and changes qualitatively as the frequency changes. Lower frequencies have longer wavelengths, and higher frequencies have shorter wavelengths. The wavelength of electromagnetic radiation influences how likely it is to interact with a medium.
When electromagnetic radiation impinges on matter, it causes the charged particles to oscillate and gain energy. The energy of electromagnetic radiation is directly proportional to its frequency and inversely proportional to its wavelength. The higher the energy of a photon, the more likely it is to continue traveling in the same direction. As the radiation moves through matter, it loses its energy through various interactions with the atoms it encounters.
At higher energies, photons can interact with electrons by exciting their energy states. As a photon travels through a material, it undergoes several interactions with electrons, depositing its energy at each interaction. The most significant interaction mechanism of electromagnetic radiation with matter, especially at low energy and long wavelengths, is the absorption of energy by electrons. When a bound electron absorbs energy, it enters an excited state, and if the transferred energy is greater than a specific threshold, the photoelectric effect is observed.
Light waves across the electromagnetic spectrum behave in similar ways. When a light wave encounters an object, it can be transmitted, reflected, absorbed, refracted, polarized, diffracted, or scattered, depending on the composition of the object and the wavelength of the light. The color of an object is the wavelength of light reflected, while all other wavelengths are absorbed.
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How electromagnetic wavelengths are applied in wireless network planning
Electromagnetic waves are created by the vibrations between an electric field and a magnetic field. They can be described in terms of energy, wavelength, or frequency. Wavelength is the physical distance travelled by a wave in one full cycle. It is measured in meters.
Electromagnetic waves have crests and troughs, and the distance between crests is the wavelength. The shortest wavelengths are just fractions of the size of an atom, while the longest can be larger than the diameter of our planet. Electromagnetic waves can be polarised, which means that they can be measured according to the electromagnetic field's alignment.
The electromagnetic spectrum is the full range of electromagnetic radiation, organised by frequency or wavelength. From low to high frequency, the spectrum includes radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma rays. Radio waves, at the low-frequency end of the spectrum, have the longest wavelengths. Gamma rays, at the high-frequency end, have the shortest.
Wireless network planning involves the use of radio waves, microwaves, and infrared light. Radio waves are used in wireless networks because they can pass through the atmosphere, foliage, and most building materials. They can be emitted and received by antennas. Antennas convert electricity into radio waves, and radio waves into electricity.
Microwaves are used in wireless data transmissions such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cell phone connections. Their higher energy and shorter wavelength make them better for high-bandwidth transfers than traditional radio waves.
Infrared light is also used in wireless network planning, particularly in remote controls for devices such as televisions.
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Frequently asked questions
Electromagnetic wavelengths are the distance between the crests of electromagnetic waves. These waves are created by charged particles and carry momentum and radiant energy through space.
Electromagnetic wavelengths are measured in meters. The wavelength is multiplied by the frequency of the wave to determine the speed at which it travels.
The energy of a wave is directly proportional to its frequency and inversely proportional to its wavelength. This means that as the energy of a wave increases, its frequency increases and its wavelength decreases.
